Limitless
by LizardBeth96
Summary: Elizabeth Mercer is an uptight, fifth year Ravenclaw who doesn't have much time for anything but school. But when a certain pair of Weasley brothers decide to change that, she's in for a crazy year. Romance, jealousy, and danger aren't in short supply this year. Set in GoF.


"You're sure you have everything?", my grandmother asked for the millionth time since we left the house.

"Yes.", I reply, rather annoyed. She'd been fussing about me all summer, worried that Hogwarts wasn't the most suitable place for me any longer. She'd even considered sending me to Salem or Beauxbatons this year. I had to practically beg to continue at Hogwarts.

She nods. "Alright then. Keep your grades up. Make sure to write me. And for goodness sake, _please _just try to be pleasant to Adrian. His father said he was rather put off after the way you treated him at Diagon Alley last month."

I groaned. My family had a long standing friendship with the Pucey family. Adrian, a year older than me and a Slytherin, had always tried to torment me whenever he had a chance. Needless to say, we had never gotten along well. Even as children. "I'll try.", I mumbled, not making any promises. Pucey was one of the few people I absolutely could _not _stand.

She frowns not fully satisfied with my answer. But before she had a chance to scold me any further, the last call for boarding went out. "Off you go then."

I gave her a quick peck on the cheeks before grabbing my trunk. "See you at Christmas."

"Yes. Make sure to behave. I don't want to hear anything from your professors. Am I clear?"

"Crystal.", I say as I heft my things on board.

The train was packed as always, but I was able to find a compartment. I was never one to cause trouble, or even step a toe out of line, not that my grandmother thought so. I could never seem to please that woman. I had always been the quiet type, keeping to myself mostly. Of course, I had a few friends in my house, but I still prefered the quiet companionship of my books and schoolwork to actual people.

So you can imagine my annoyance when a certain pair of red-headed brothers strolled into my otherwise empty compartment. I had anticipated a quiet, uneventful ride to the castle. Which I wasn't getting now. You didn't have to be a Gryffindor to know all about the Weasley twins and their pranks. Last year one of my dorm mates ate one of their candies, which turned her hair purple for weeks.

"Are these seats taken?", asks one of the two, gesturing to the empty benches.

I glanced up from her textbook, shaking my head in answer. The two grinned, one sitting directly beside her and the other right across. I ignored them, pretending to be extremely interested in my geometry book. My mother had sent me several muggle textbooks for my birthday last year. Her condition to allowing me to attend a wizards school had been doing muggle work in my spare time. I didn't really mind. It gave her more options after school, if I couldn't find a job in the wizarding world.

While my father had been a wizard, my mother was as muggle as they came. After my father died in the war against You-Know-Who, she hadn't wanted anything to do with magic. And that included not wanting anything to do with me. When I got my first Hogwarts letter, she sent me to live with Grandmother in the summer when I wasn't at school, rarely even getting a letter from her. She always made excuses to me. She was busy, or traveling for her job.

"I'm Fred. Fred Weasley. And that's George. I don't think I've seen you around before. What's your house?", says the one across from me, sticking his hand out over my book.

Setting her book in my lap, I shook his hand. "Lizzie Mercer. Ravenclaw. And you haven't seen me because I'm a year younger."_  
_

"Pleased to meet you.", Fred grinned as the train started moving.

"I'm sure", I said rather flatly, picking the book back up.

Fred cocked his head at me curiously. "Is that an accent my ears detect? It's adorable!"

"My mom is American. I grew up in the U.S until Hogwarts. I never really lost the accent, I suppose.", I explain.

George looked over my shoulder at the textbook. "What is this? It's just a jumble of numbers and letters."

"It's math.", I said, practically ignoring him. At least until he snatched the book from her hand. "Hey! Give it back!"

George tossed it to Fred, who flipped through it with a confused look on his face. "What's it for?"

"Solving.", I says, extremely annoyed with the set of twins.

"So it's a muggle book.", George observes.

"Yes. And I would like it back now." She held out her hand for it, frowning.

"This girl is no fun, Fred. I bet it's a muggle _school _book."

"No fun at all.", Fred agrees.

"I think we need to fix this.", George says in a serious tone.

"She could be our pet project."

Lizzie rolled her eyes at the two, wishing they had chosen someone else to pick on. "My book, please." They both stare at her, thoroughly amused.

"Are these two gits bothering you, Mercer?", asks a voice as the door to the compartment opens.

_Oh joy, _I thought, rolling my eyes. Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. "Go Away, Pucey."

"On the contrary, your grandmother asked me to watch out for you this year. And if you're being bothered by bloodtraiter gingers, I'm afraid it's only my duty to...", he didn't get to finish his sentence. The twins had both launched to their feet, both of their wands pointed directly at his nose. Adrian paled, stepping back into the hallway. "This isn't over, Mercer. See you around." He fled the car like a puppy with his tail between his legs before they could curse him into next Tuesday.

"What was his problem?", George asks, miraculously handing me my book back. I stowed it in one of my bags for safe keeping.

"It isn't even worth explaining."

"Git.", Fred mumbled. That was quite the understatement.

The rest of the ride wasn't too bead. Fred and George talked among themselves while I read or stared out the window. I caught some rather suspicious things on pranks they were planning for this year, but as long as I wasn't the victim, I wasn't going to complain.

Eventually, we all changed into our school robes. Not long after, the train rolls up into the station. I got up and walked hurriedly away, towards the carriages. Unsuccessfully, anyway. It was nice of them to stand up for me against Pucey, but that didn't mean I wanted to get caught up in their hijinks. Anyone who hung around them usually ended up in detention.

They caught up to me easily, keeping stride. "Does the phrase 'personal space' mean anything to either of you?"

Each of them slung an arm around me. "Nope. What about you Georgie?"

I shrugged them off of me. "Obviously subtlety isn't working. This was nice and all, but I'll be going now. _Without _you two."

"Did you hear that, Fred? She thinks she can get rid of us that easily.", George laughs.

"Oh, it won't do.", his brother agrees, looping his arm through mine. George follows suit, shooting his brother a knowing glance.

"It won't do at all."

"Hey, Lizzie!", A voice called a little ways behind us. Racing towards me was the one person I actually counted as a close friend.

"Sutton!", I squealed, pulling away from ginger 1 and ginger 2 to hug her.

She grinned, her hair all messed and cheeks flushed up from running. Sutton was a pretty, blonde, tiny, Hufflepuff with the emotional backbone of a teddy bear. The girl cried at the slightest of things. But that aside, she was incredibly sweet, caring girl. "Did you hear? Something big is happening this year! Maybe they'll abolish the rule on uniforms, you know let girls wear pants for once. Or maybe... Who's that?"

I glance back, noticing Fred and George still standing there. Didn't they have better things to do than torment me all night? "Fred and George Weasley. Guys, this is Sutton Tate."

"It's nice to meet you.", she smiled, shooting me a 'you'd better spill everything later' look that I knew so well, and sticking her hand out to shake theirs. In an over dramatized, gentlemanly manner, the two of them bowed to her, kissing the top of her hand instead of shaking it like a normal person.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing Sutton's arm and dragging her away at a brisk pace. "We'd best be off then. We're going to be late to the feast if we don't hurry."

"Hold up!", one of them yells after us. "We can share a carriage. There's only a few left."

I groaned, which Sutton noticed but was too polite to say anything as she dragged me into one of the horse-less carriages. I would have walked if I could have gotten there in time, but I didn't really have much choice.

The twins piled in, taking a seat next to each of us, which made Sutton giggle all the more. "So Liz, how was your summer?", she asks.

"Alright. For the most part."

"Didn't you have to go on the yearly shopping trip with the Pucey's? Sounds dreadful. Adrian is such a jerk."

"The Slytherin chaser?", George asks. "That was that him on the train, wasn't it?"

"Yep."

Sutton's eyebrows went up. "What did he do now?"

"Nothing. It wasn't a big deal.", I answered before either of them could cut in. Luckily, they seemed to realize it was a bad subject and didn't say anything further about it.

When the carriage came to a stop at the castle, the twins skipped on head, eager for the tons of food that came with the welcome back feast. "What was that all about?", Sutton asked as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"I'm not actually sure."


End file.
